The daa ended 2025 on a high when more than 100,000 travellers passed through Dublin Airport on 30 December—the busiest 24-hour period in the hub’s 83-year history. The milestone capped a 19-day festive surge expected to see 1.5 million people transit the airport between 18 December and 6 January. Inbound flows were dominated by Irish emigrants returning home and long-haul tourists drawn by a weak euro, while outbound traffic was fuelled by winter-sun getaways, ski charters and end-of-quarter business trips.
Operationally, the airport coped better than many analysts predicted. Newly installed C3 CT scanners—now fully live in both terminals—eliminated the 100 ml liquids rule, slicing security wait-times to an average of 18 minutes even at peak hours. The pressure instead shifted landside: kerb-side traffic ground to a crawl and short-stay car parks filled by mid-morning.
Whether your team is sending staff to Dublin or bringing colleagues into Ireland, securing the correct entry documents is still essential. VisaHQ’s dedicated Ireland page (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) lets travel managers check requirements, submit digital applications and track approvals in one dashboard—saving time and ensuring every traveller stays compliant.
![Dublin Airport Shatters Single-Day Passenger Record as Holiday Rush Peaks]()
The daa used the record to renew its plea for the Government to lift the decades-old 32-million-passenger planning cap. A High-Court ruling temporarily suspended enforcement earlier in 2025, but airlines warn they may freeze capacity for winter 2026 unless legal clarity arrives soon. A Cabinet memo proposing an interim 36-million figure is expected this month, with a full Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) charges determination to follow in 2026 for implementation from 2027.
For corporate travel managers, the practical takeaway is clear: January itineraries should include extra arrival time, prepaid parking or public-transport alternatives such as 24-hour Dublin Bus route 19. HR teams should also remind employees that US pre-clearance queues can spike when multiple trans-Atlantic departures converge.
Longer-term, the passenger-cap debate matters for mobility budgets. If capacity remains artificially constrained, seat shortages during Easter, summer and Christmas peaks could drive fares sharply higher, affecting assignment costs and talent-attraction strategies that rely on easy Ireland connectivity.
Operationally, the airport coped better than many analysts predicted. Newly installed C3 CT scanners—now fully live in both terminals—eliminated the 100 ml liquids rule, slicing security wait-times to an average of 18 minutes even at peak hours. The pressure instead shifted landside: kerb-side traffic ground to a crawl and short-stay car parks filled by mid-morning.
Whether your team is sending staff to Dublin or bringing colleagues into Ireland, securing the correct entry documents is still essential. VisaHQ’s dedicated Ireland page (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) lets travel managers check requirements, submit digital applications and track approvals in one dashboard—saving time and ensuring every traveller stays compliant.
The daa used the record to renew its plea for the Government to lift the decades-old 32-million-passenger planning cap. A High-Court ruling temporarily suspended enforcement earlier in 2025, but airlines warn they may freeze capacity for winter 2026 unless legal clarity arrives soon. A Cabinet memo proposing an interim 36-million figure is expected this month, with a full Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) charges determination to follow in 2026 for implementation from 2027.
For corporate travel managers, the practical takeaway is clear: January itineraries should include extra arrival time, prepaid parking or public-transport alternatives such as 24-hour Dublin Bus route 19. HR teams should also remind employees that US pre-clearance queues can spike when multiple trans-Atlantic departures converge.
Longer-term, the passenger-cap debate matters for mobility budgets. If capacity remains artificially constrained, seat shortages during Easter, summer and Christmas peaks could drive fares sharply higher, affecting assignment costs and talent-attraction strategies that rely on easy Ireland connectivity.
